Listen to this post.

"The way you do great things is by setting great goals."

—Bill de Blasio, New York City Mayor (New Year's Eve, 2020)

Dear students, 

Happy New Year! Do you like to make New Year's resolutions? Instead of deciding what not to do at the beginning of a new year, I always choose a Word of the Year. 

My Word of the Year for 2021 is "zeal." Here is the definition from Lexico dictionary.

zeal (noun): great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective

I chose the word "zeal" because I think it will inspire me to bring enthusiasm to lots of different goals, including work goals, family goals, and personal goals. In 2021, I'll do my best to bring energy and enthusiasm into every space I'm in.

My new office wall offers a strong visual for my Word of the Year! It's a fun backdrop for virtual meetings and a useful conversation starter. The connected names symbolize the importance of teamwork (and my own love of words). 

I have about 15 more ESL Library staff names to add (waiting on more wooden tiles to arrive)! My pup Rootbeer is also full of energy and keeps my family moving, even during lockdown. (He's hoping I'll add his name to the wall!)

What's your Word of the Year for 2021? Ask your teacher to assign the ESL Library lesson How to Write a Basic Paragraph. In this lesson, you will practice writing a short paragraph about your Word of the Year. If you want to share your writing, please copy your paragraph in the comments below for all of us to see!

You don't have to be an ESL Library student to share your Word of the Year. Anyone (teachers and ESL Library staff) can participate by sharing their word in the comments below. Please tell us why you chose your word. 

Best of luck with your language learning throughout 2021!

XOXO

Tara & the ESL Library Team